A decade-long dream came true this weekend as marimba players from across the country united under one roof to set a Guinness World Record… and fill Cape Town with music and magic.
Western Cape, South Africa (03 August 2025) – This is the kind of news we love to shout about. A record-breaking moment. A story that sings. A room full of 1,276 marimba players, from school kids to teachers and even a few brave grown-ups, all jamming together in perfect harmony to officially smash the Guinness World Record for the largest marimba ensemble in the world!
Yep, you read that right… 1,276 players, over 70 schools, 8 to 62 years old, all coming together at GrandWest’s Grand Arena on the 2nd of August 2025 to prove that when South Africans make music together, we make history and we make it with rhythm.
According to EWN, they played a 10-minute medley that included “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” and “Jerusalema”, and honestly, we’re still dancing. The crowd was on their feet. The players were on fire. And when the final note hit, everyone was filled with pure goosebumps.
The kind that makes you believe in community.
In joy.
In good things.
Kiara Ramklass, the founder of Marimba Jam, was at the heart of this incredible day. The incredible South African has spent the last decade doing something extraordinary… bringing the joy of marimba music to schools across the country. What started as a teenage love for the instrument has grown into a national movement.
“For many of the kids playing the marimba, this is their way of expressing themselves – a creative outlet at school,” she shared, “and we hope that more young people will be inspired to take up music because of all the amazing benefits it has.”
But Kiara wasn’t just aiming for a shiny certificate.
“This event is more than just breaking a record,” she said. “It’s about showcasing what’s possible when we unite across socio-economic divides – private schools, township schools, rural schools – all on one stage. It’s a loud, joyful message of ubuntu.”
And wow, was it loud. Loud in a really lekker way. Loud in the way only South Africans can be… filled with love, laughter and that unmistakable “us” that makes the whole world want to dance.
“It’s almost impossible to feel sad when you hear them,” Kiara added. “They create this magical, happy energy.”
And she’s right. That energy could be felt in every corner of the venue (and even when watching the performance online).
Some teams travelled from Joburg, Durban and even Zimbabwe. One KwaZulu-Natal group literally flew in after their matric dance (we see you, legends). Others packed buses and drove through the night with marimbas in tow. Because that’s what you do when you’re part of something this big. This beautiful.
The Guinness World Records official adjudicator was there too (all the way from London, nogal), and after the performance, he confirmed what we all felt in our hearts. The record was broken. Boom. History made. Each participant went home with a shiny medal around their neck… and probably the biggest smile on their face.
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde was there too, calling it a “moment of profound unity” and thanking the youth for showing the world what’s possible when young people rise to the occasion. And rise, they did.
But this wasn’t Kiara’s first go. In 2018, she rallied 241 young players (mostly girls) on Women’s Day to try beat the record, but they didn’t have the resources to make it official.
So they tried again.
This time with more schools, more marimbas and more heart than ever before. And they did it. Beyond the record, the day was a proper celebration, concerts, art stations, drumming workshops, photo booths, and one big, happy crowd clapping to the beat of something unforgettable. But it wasn’t just about music. It was about hope, talent, teamwork, and this thing we do so well in South Africa… showing up for each other, across every line that’s meant to divide us. On this day, there was only music, joy and one united rhythm.
“We wanted to bring the whole of South Africa together to find harmony in community,” Kiara said.
And they did. In record-breaking, marimba-shaking, heartwarming style.
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